Thursday and we’re tired again!

Thursday and we're tired again! Another week of our lives has nearly passed by and the Green family have again reached the level of tiredness that only those with children will understand! How do we do it I've been asked? There are many things that bring it all together but here are our secrets. Planning, we have a family diary that works 12 months ahead of where we are including holidays, school holidays, childcare, races, birthdays, etc. If there is something we want to do, we add the approx. date into the diary along with the date we expect entry/tickets/flights to go on sale. We plan a rough training schedule around the race dates and since February, all LFR club nights and committee meetings have also entered the list. About two weeks in advance we transfer all the information onto a weekly sheet which includes menu's, additional work requirements, after school activities, date night and most importantly who's running where and when. Edison now wakes at 5am and requires constant entertainment (and food), whilst Arriana thinks she is a teenager at times, but hey, these are just things all parents have to deal with. To us the children are always at their happiest being outside, in the woods, at races, club nights, camping, walks, bike rides etc. So running and athletics fits in really well and they too have become part of LFR as are more and more of our members partners', children and friends. It's great to see so many of the under 14's at Park run every week and hopefully one day these will be the ones we are being overtaken by. Which brings me onto a huge thank you for the awards Vicky and I recently received during a drunken evening at the clubhouse. We are truly humbled by the extraordinary recognition, the trophies are now sat on the windowsill. It’s never been on our minds or in our plans to do things for this reason, we just wanted to put something back into the club and share our enthusiasm with everyone. It's now Sunday night and this week we've been away, the yearly family holiday to the Isle of Wight. Even on our trip we try to run most days. As with every year it coincides with the Isle Of Wight Running Festival (Needles XC Half as it was known until this year). We all took part in one race or another. Vicky ran in the 10k race on the Saturday which was a touch on the warm side with trails, fields and a rather daunting hill, but she and Annis (who was on the Island for the weekend) loved it, especially the medal. Arriana and Marcus (from the Harrison stables) smashed the 2.5k fun run and took home a medal and a bag of fruit. You know when you run a tough race, that every painful moment cannot easily be forgotten! Well this is 13.1m of that. I recall every twist, turn, every trail, the promenade, the woods, the sand, jumping groynes, THE STEPS, the Hills, the Moorland, the Hills, the Needles with the bagpiper playing whilst stood on an old ruin, pointless stiles and more kissing gates than I’d ever imagine exist (all sponsored by locals). As for the marathon, you’d need your head examining to even consider what that had in store!!!! Steve, Janice, Richard and I all took it in our stride and loved every minute. “It’s the best event ever”, said Janice, “we’ll be back” and so will I. There are many options from 5k to 10k on the Saturday, half to full marathon on the Sunday and a half ironman over three days. There’s a campsite, a coffee van, a pizza van, free use of the sports centre pool and showers for competitors and they even showed “chariots of fire” in the sports hall Saturday night. Games for the kids and a bar! If you want to see all the sights of the Isle of Wight and the most spectacular views then come join us next year when we plan to make this the club trip.

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Is the best competition the one you have with yourself?

Is the best competition the one you have with yourself? by Alice Is the best competition the one you have with yourself?   Those of you who know me will already have noticed that I can be a teeny bit competitive. There have been many a Fartlek session where I’ve nearly keeled over trying to keep up with the faster ladies and there has been a race after which I’ve been extremely grumpy for several hours because I didn’t do as well as I had in the race before. And although I tell myself it’s not the end of the world, I also wonder if there’s really anything so wrong with always wanting to do that little bit better and having these little competitions with myself.   2017 has already seen a few firsts for me in terms of running. Having already “conquered” a few 10k races, I ran my first 10 mile race in St. Albans in January then ran my first half marathon at Silverstone in March. Despite swearing for years that I would never ever run a marathon I have to admit to entering the ballot for the London Marathon next year. It’s obviously highly unlikely that I’ll get a place but whatever happens I think it’ll probably only be a matter or time before I want to see if I can push myself to that particular next level. That’s the thing I’ve found with running you see – every time I manage to achieve something I just want to better it.   Just 18 months ago running any of these distances was completely unthinkable to me so it was with a certain degree of trepidation that I drove to Silverstone for the race on a very damp and grey day back in March! As with all the best-laid plans, my training hadn’t gone quite as well as I’d hoped, partly due to a recurring heel injury and partly due to a chest infection I managed to pick up just before the race. I knew I probably wasn’t well enough to race but it was my first half, which also meant my first medal (if I managed to finish) and I really wanted the medal!   Given the circumstances the race went really pretty well although I made all the usual pretty standard mistakes. Knowing I wasn’t as healthy as I could be I went off quite quickly on the basis that I would flake out later on and should get the beginning done as quickly as possible - the worst thing I could possibly do – I know! And flake out I did! I quickly lost the pacer I’d been following and could see on my watch that I was completing each mile more and more slowly than the one before. I also didn’t hydrate myself properly and around mile 9 I suddenly got backache. Being no stranger to some pretty painful hangovers over the years I pretty quickly recognised the ache as dehydration. Fortunately the lucozade station was just ahead and after downing two bottles of the stuff I was able to continue. I was also coughing and hacking pretty constantly all the way round the course and could tell my fellow runners didn’t know whether to be concerned that I was dying or just really annoyed at how loud and annoying I was being! Despite all this I found my second wind over the last 3 miles or so and still managed to prance over the finish line in a reasonably respectable time.   Next week I’ll be running my second half-marathon, this time up in Edinburgh. I’m told the course is quite flat (so PB potential) and as it stands I appear not to be injured or ill. The problem with this is that means I can’t think of any reason why this race should go badly which means I’ll be particularly upset with myself if it does! (It almost certainly will now!)   I know I’m never going to be the best or the fastest runner and I’m never actually going to win a race but that doesn’t matter - the only competition I’m really bothered about is the one I have with myself – and that will mean that I will continue to do some pretty ill-advised, borderline stupid stuff! Will I run again when injured? I expect so. Will I run a race even when I should really be lying in bed drinking lemsip? Probably. To me though, if it means I can still chase after and get that elusive PB, it’s all worth it.

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Coaching Sessions

Could you benefit from Coaching?   You may (or may not) be aware that I recently passed my Coach In Run Fitness qualification – and that I have a role within…

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What it is like to Volunteer

What it is like to Volunteer So far this year Leighton Fun Runners have had the pleasure to be involved in 3 epic races which have seen plenty of the club members not only running but also working just as hard behind the scenes to make sure everyone has an amazing run. It feels like a long time since we have our very own 10k but some of your club members are already busy organising next years event. Since Oakley I've not really been running much at all, a little from laziness and a bit from recovering from a blood blister but also because I've been busy over that past few weekends experiencing what it's like on the other side of a race course.  This year I was lucky enough to Marshal at both the Virgin Money London Marathon and the Milton Keynes Marathon. This was my 3rd year in London and whilst I never ever ever plan on running a marathon still being able to experience one of the most iconic marathons in the world has got to up there on one go my favourite things to do. Leighton Fun Runners are regulars at sector 5.1 now which overs a couple of spots just after Mile 14 and again at Mile 21.  Getting to see not only the Elite runners flying past doing less than a 5 minute mile  to the 1st timers running for charity and best of all your running buddies some of who you ran with during their training sessions is definitely worth the 6am coach. We all work pretty hard at London but there are loads of things that you can so to help support a race. Milton Keynes saw our team breaking and entering to make sure runners didn't have to climb fences, thinking they had signed up for Tough Mudder and also able to help make sure the runners got round safely.   Over the course of the year ahead we will be looking out for anyone who has a bit of free time. Nothing is too scary and even if you don't have a huge amount of time to offer every little helps.

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LFR team spirit by Dan Green

LFR Team Spirit My goals for this year are to go sub 40 minutes at 10 and sub 19 at 5k and that day was the Regents Park 10k. I've been training hard for months to try and knock 30 seconds off my pb and thought this would be the day! The weekend before I took on Winslow 10k in the wind with challenging climbs and went flat out to see where I was at and came in 40.31! Based on that, a flat run round Regents Park would be my best chance of the last couple of years to reach my target. Digressing a little, last year I entered challenging and fun races and didn't push for pb's. This year is different, I'm focused on pb's. so the family and I arrive at Regents Park knowing all about it as Vicky had gained a new pb there on a cold October morning. I was extremely nervous after seeing the weather forecast on Saturday and rightly concerned. Just as we got out of the car there was a torrential downpour and we were soaked! The wind was bitter with the kids and myself being blown all over the place. We sat in the changing room until the last minute and on braving the cold I went for a warm up which felt good. Five minutes to go to the start and I removed my outer layers and walked to the line shivering and soaked with three laps ahead of me. The first mile was ok and on target but by mile two I was struggling and still hadn't warmed up and was going backwards in the field. By the mid way point of lap three I finally got into rhythm but my legs were so heavy, I wanted to stop and give in - but going through my head went thoughts of the previous weeks race and I began questioning what had gone wrong? Was it the weather? - it was torrid compared to Winslow Was it a lack of sleep? - 6 hours the last two nights thanks to the children Am I coming down with something? - I was coughing and sneezing! Was it breakfast? - well I didn't have a coffee and I cannot function without it. In fact caffeine is good for numbing the pain.....apparently. Was it the lack of a pre race gel? - well I normally take one but didn't want to stand in the rain searching through the car boot for one! It finally twigged, last week there was a team of LFR runners (the largest turnout of all clubs) at Winslow and we were all chatting, having fun and pushing each other on with that inimitable team spirit present as always. Whatever the weather, whatever my mood, whatever health condition, whatever level of sleep, it could be overcome by being part of the club. Today's weather and tiredness couldn't even be eradicated by Vicky and the children shouting loudly every lap. It felt so very lonely when I was struggling. Regents Park was the start of a bad run of races that ended at Aldbury last weekend. As most of you, especially Lisa Charley, know that Ashridge boundary run saw me go flying and bruise my rear end. I was bitterly disappointed - I was running so well and on for a good time. But the support, kind thoughts and comments from you all really helped to put me back on track. So on to Oakley, I just felt too good not to go for it.....until mile 16 when I crashed and burned but once again the amazing club spirit shone through in so many ways to help me get home. That just about surmises the effect our club atmosphere has on me and I really hope it does to you too. Training together, running together, volunteering together and just having fun together (awards nights especially). We're a team and we support each other, that's LFR through and through. GO LFR

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Respect for Animals when out Running in the Countryside by Paul Doyle

Respect for Animals when out Running in the Countryside by Paul Doyle     Respect for Animals when out Running in the Countryside. Tips to Staying Safe.   I started writing this article following a couple of incidents where I inadvertently startled a horses being ridden on a country road. Not fun for the riders and something I didn’t intend to happen. Both times I thought I had made myself visible and heard, clearly not enough. The choice words of abuse from the riders we can probably deal with. Potentially causing an accident is not something anyone would want on their conscience. After discussing this idea with the LFR social pages it occurred to me that as well as horses there are other animal-related interactions we need to be aware of when running or walking in the countryside. It’s also spring, daylight hours are lasting longer and longer, so who doesn’t want to take advantage of the incredible countryside surrounding us? So I felt that now was a good time to bring everyone’s advice together and put it in a blog. The thing is, if like me, you like the idea of spending some quality running hours away from the hustle and bustle and big city lights of Leighton Buzzard it’s not always easy to avoid skittish, curious or just less-than friendly animals that don’t necessarily understand our intentions. I know of a few people who have been attacked by dogs, or even chased by overly-enthusiastic dogs snapping at their heels. Also, who feels truly comfortable running through a field full of curious bovine who seem to want to join in on the fun? With this in mind, I hope that over the following pages I have cobbled together enough advice on dealing with these situations to make you feel a little more confident. Thanks to Richard H, Ceri L and random folk who have written various articles on the interhoola from which I have unashamedly plagiarised bits from. Over Keen to-meet-you Pooches Here are a few do’s Staying calm is a good idea. Adding any sort of excitement to the situation is counterproductive. Slow down, walk or stop. Speed is intoxicating to many dogs, who give chase to anything that’s moving. Some dogs try to herd runners, which may account for a lot of the bites to the back of the legs and ankles. It’s annoying to interrupt your run, but it beats being bitten. If you are wearing sunglasses or a hat, take them off. Many dogs are scared of people wearing such accessories and charge or chase out of fear. If you remove them, some dogs realize you are just a person, not a monster, and ease off. Swing wide to create more distance between you and the dog. A lot of dogs are territorial and are attempting to keep you away from what they perceive as an intrusion. Say things that may put the dog in a good mood, using a cheerful voice. So many dogs are conditioned to react happily to one or more of these phrases, and that means they have the power to diffuse a tense situation. Speaking in a happy voice, even though you have to fake it, makes this strategy more effective. Similarly, a few dogs will respond if you give them a cue, telling them to sit, go home, or stay. Many dogs are too worked up to react, but it does work sometimes. And giving a cue or using a happy phrase is exceedingly unlikely to make things worse, so both are worth a try. Another option is to turn and head the other way. Yes, it’s frustrating to have to change your route because of a misbehaving off-leash dog, but safety first! Many dogs are trying to get you to go away, and if you do, they will leave you alone. It’s best to head the other way slowly so you don’t incite the dog to chase you. Here are a few don’ts Don’t yell at the dog. Many dogs are afraid and this will only make their fear, and therefore their undesirable behaviour, worse. Don’t stare at the dog. Though this is often suggested, staring is an overtly threatening behaviour and will cause many dogs to react even more aggressively to you. It will rarely cause a dog who is going after you to back off. Don’t scream. This agitates many dogs, and makes them even more unpredictable. Don’t throw anything at dog. Doing so can be perceived as threatening, which may make the situation escalate rather than make it better. Don’t pick up a stick and try to use it as a weapon. This is far too likely to frighten a fearful dog or to be taken as an escalation of any confrontation by dogs who are on the offensive. No technique is fool proof, but the general rule is to try to get out of the situation calmly and quickly without making the dog any more upset. It’s not about who is right and who is wrong or whether the dog is legally allowed to be off leash where you are running. It’s just about avoiding a serious issue so that you can not only keep running today, but in the future. So what to do if attacked? It seems that the general consensus seems to be to protect your face, chest, and throat. Also keep your hands in fists to protect your fingers. If you must be bitten, the safest place for it to happen is the shin or forearm. If possible use something like a jacket, shoe or a stick to keep the dog’s focus away from you. Let it take it, this could give you enough of a chance to back away. Dogs are not naturally inclined to attack humans unless they feel a threat to themselves, their pack, or their territory. We cannot always avoid the problem because some dog owners are irresponsible or negligent. However, we can arm ourselves with the knowledge that will prevent a situation from escalating, and minimize the damage if it does move on to an attack. A Field of Curious Bovine Richard Heady: I work with cattle every day and although intimidating they are very, very rarely dangerous. These are my top five tips for staying safe when running through field of cattle: Resist your instincts to run, shout or wave at approaching cattle, you are only making yourself fun! Cattle are very inquisitive and very very rarely approach with any malice, 99.9% of the time they are just bored and you look like a bit of fun. The more movement and noise you make, the more fun you become and the more they will want to join in. If you are intimidated by a certain field of cattle on one of your regular running routes there are three simple steps to avoid unwanted bovine attention Evening is playtime for cattle, in the morning they are often too lazy/hungry to bother you, so you can adjust your planed run times to avoid becoming their evening entertainment Just walk around them, generally a farmer would prefer you to deviate from the footpath than trouble his cows Whittle yourself a crude walking stick to make you feel safer (not as a weapon) and as a last resort a light tap on the nose is enough to spoil their fun. (You can stash it in the hedge and run your route in reverse next time) Just remember it is not in a farmer’s interest to put dangerous stock in a field with a foot path, they could get prosecuted. The only time cattle would pose a threat is if you get in-between a cow and its young calf, or if the cattle were distressed and you were between them and the exit. Do not take their bate, they will often approach fast and then slam on the brakes at the last minute , jump around and follow you, willing you to run so that they can chase. I know they can be intimidating, but don’t rise to it, be boring and they will lose interest. Keep your dog on a lead! Dogs will stir up the cattle’s interest, and can be especially dangerous in a field of sheep. There have been a number of dog attacks killing sheep in the Leighton Buzzard area in the past few months, be aware your beloved pooch has very strong instincts that can be ignited by running animals, it is really not worth the risk.to do is stand to the side and talk so the horse realises that you are just a person!   Horses The instinct is to get out of the way, often behind a tree or bush and be quiet so you don't scare them. No, to a horse you are now a scary animal, crouching and waiting to attack. If more cyclists and runners understood some key points about horses, they could easily modify their behaviour to make them less frightening to the horses and reduce the chance of accidents. Horses are animals and as such, are not predictable. Since they evolved as prey, they have strong flight instincts and can be spooked by creatures they don’t recognize. Things that look normal to us (someone wearing a back pack, riding a recumbent bike, or carrying a child in a back pack) can really frighten a horse. If you come up behind a horse, please call out or ring a bell. If we know you are there we can prepare for you to pass. Talking to the rider is best because then the horse will understand that you are human. Take your time when passing and leave plenty of room. On a road please don’t run right next to a horse or at top speed. If you slow down and give the some room the horses probably won’t even flinch. On a narrow trail, it may be better to wait for a wide spot. If a horse looks scared, then stop and wait. No-one wants to disrupt your run, but no-one wants you to get hurt. Please remember that the average horse weighs more than 1,000 pounds (71 Stone) and has steel shod hooves. Is it worth getting into a rumble with an animal like this? Ultimately, best bet is to make yourself as visible as you can by not lurking in bushes, jumping out from undergrowth etc. Make yourself heard, a cheery ‘good morning, lovely day!’ etc will alert your presence to both the rider, and more importantly the horse. Especially when approaching from the rear.   Thanks for reading. Any comments or additions or key points I may have missed, please let me know.

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The Mighty Deerstalker

The Mighty Deerstalker After knocking myself out on a low branch at the same event 2 years ago, then in my semi-blurred state misunderstanding a marshal point and going up the second mountain again, you'd be forgiven for thinking that i might not be interested in repeating the same event. Especially as that last mistake added another 3 mountainous miles onto the run, then when we finally got in, collapsed into the bar seats, blood ran down my face when i took my deerstalker hat off. "yeah maybe" was the answer! This year was different. Better headtorch to start with. Also having crawled over the strava info, i was absolutely sure where we went wrong and that it wasn't going to happen twice. No sir. Not this time. Just like with Marathon races where we all too soon forget the months of preparation and the pain of the final miles of the race and the sacrifices we make....we all too soon sign up again! So there we were, Salty Dickinson, Anthony Smith and myself. In tweed. Expectations high. On the start line of the 2017 Deerstalker event. The typical rat-race event warm up ensued with lots of arm pumps, fast running on the spot, high knees and so on. We were in wave 3 so were still starting in daylight with was good as you get to 'appreciate' all the other fancy dress. Then its game on! a fast mile over trail and path and you are at the first river crossing. Time to get wet! Out of that, and the climb starts. The race is essentially over 2 mountains, and this was the first of the climbs. At one point Anthony spies some guys dressed as sailors and as we run past, overtaking them going uphill naturally, he starts singing an ancient sea-chanty. In full. Then we're into the woods and its now getting seriously steep and dark too. Lights are on. Time to remind yourself of the roots everywhere and try to get adjusted to the light levels. Back out of the woods and its properly dark now. We veer onto an MTB track and it gets fast moving. Time to speed up and make some progress, take a few people. I can't see Anthony anymore, but its ok as i can hear him up ahead in the distance. I press on. Then its the laser disco. I'd seen this last year so it wasn't a surprise, but imagine running in some woods on the side of a mountain at night then you come across a disco, complete with smoke and lasers! Next is the first steep descent and you see so many people using their ass to get down. Its one way of course, but i prefer staying on my feet. The half-way point is marked by a 100 meter river crossing. I say 'crossing', but its more like wading thigh-high up-stream in the river Tweed. The bottom is full of largish rocks that move about when you put your foot on them so staying upright at all costs is way, even if you slow down. Out the other side and we're climbing straight away up the second mountain. This one soon enough reaches a point of scrambling, having to use hands as well to lever ourselves up. The rest is uneventful. Its back down towards the town, then back to basecamp and beers with live music....but what an atmosphere! This event has it all. Its got the 'silly' factor. Its got the challenge, its got the reward for your efforts. Its a long way to go, but hell its worth it!!  Bring on 2018 🙂  

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Sub-consciously chasing that DNF by Ian Mulry

Sub-consciously chasing that DNF by Ian Mulry Somebody recently asked me why I keep doing all these ‘crazy things’.  My usual answer is to challenge myself and become a stronger person from it.  But then I thought about it for a while….am I just sub-consciously searching for a DNF? I began running with LFR around 9 years ago to train to run the London Marathon (The Marathon!!).  The club was very different back then and almost unrecognisable.  We used to meet in a squash court at Tiddenfoot Leisure Centre and generally run around the town one night a week often being left behind to run alone.  I have had a few injuries over the years and have not always been around due to work commitments but I have continued to run with the club when I can.   Fast forward to 2013 and I challenged myself to run my second marathon to celebrate my 40th Year.  I chose to run a major and Chicago was the one.  I also challenged myself to run a sub 4.  I trained quite hard throughout 2013 and managed 3h52m on the day.  A few weeks later I took Max Marshalls place on an LDWA event over at Barton Le Clay due to her being injured and unable to take part.  I already knew John Kirwan and Glyn Raymen at this point but had no idea the effect they might have on my life…  I clearly remember Glyn saying ‘it won’t be long before you are running an ultra’.  My immediate answer was ‘no chance’.  In June of 2014 I ran my first solo Greensands Relay – 35 miles – my first ultra.  Glyn was right.   Fast forward to 2015 and I had entered Lakeland 50 as a team with Verity Allsopp and Karrie Archer.  The race had been introduced to us by John Kirwan who had ran it the year before and had entered the 100 mile event for the same year.  This race (Lakeland 100) for those that don’t know is talked about as the toughest 100 mile foot race in the UK.  The 50 is no walk in the park either and is never described as ‘just the 50’ by anybody that has completed it.  The completion rate for Lakeland 100 is just over 50% which gives you an idea how big a challenge it is.  As a ‘warm up’ I also entered the South Downs Way 50 the same year which took place a couple of months before.  I completed SDW 50 and looked forward to Lakeland knowing that I had already once completed the distance.  Unfortunately Karrie dropped out due to a back injury and Verity and I competed as a pair.  In the race for pairs we finished second.  We were passed by the winners about 6 miles from the end.  We had no idea at the time and we could have done no more anyway at that point.  We had been running for nearly 12 hours and were feeling broken.  To date this is my best ever result in any race.  I am proud of what we both achieved that day. 2016 saw yet another new challenge.  John had completed Lakeland 100 the previous year and it had lit a fire inside me to take on the longer event.  This would mean running in the mountains of the Lake District through two consecutive nights.  Again as a ‘warm up’ I entered the South Downs Way 100 to get a feel for the distance.  The day of the SDW 100 turned out to be one the hottest days of the year.  It taught me things about myself and my body that I could have never imagined.  It really is incredible what your body will do if you ask it.  So on to Lakeland 100.  John had entered again and although we run events together a lot we planned to run our own races.  Over this sort of distance you can only do your own thing, you cannot deviate from your plan and run someone else’s, it will only end badly.  I completed the race in just over 35 hours.  John also completed his second tour of the Lake District. Fast forward to the present day.  I find myself tapping this out on a laptop in an apartment in Estapona, Spain where I am spending a week training in the mountains for this year’s challenge(s). Whilst I was training for the last two years ultras I began to dabble in triathlon.  Swim, Bike, Run. Mainly as a way of cross training to give the legs and joints a rest from running so much.  I entered a few smaller events to ensure that I had to train for them and thus mix up my normal training.  Sounds logical to me anyway.  I squeezed in a middle distance triathlon last May which ensured I pushed myself to get into the pool as my swimming is my worst discipline.  Two lengths of a pool was my limit two years ago.  So in August this year I will be in Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada toeing the start line of an Ironman Triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run).  Just to add to the challenge I have chosen to take on an Ironman in a ski resort, not exactly know for flat ground and although not strictly a running event it does finish with a marathon.  This will be a huge challenge and although I feel that I can complete the individual distances for each discipline, putting them all together on the day in under 17 hours will be a big ask.   Not content with dealing with 2017 I am also looking towards next year already. I am going to be running both the SDW50 and SDW100 again this year, the first being in three weeks’ time.  What has this got to do with 2018 you are thinking……    In 2018 I plan to put my name in the ballot for the UTMB (Ultimate Tour du Mont Blanc), a 110 mile foot race around the circumference of Mont Blanc in France.  To enter the ballot you have accrue points from qualifying races over 2 years.  By completing both these races this year I will have enough points to qualify for the ballot.  As with the VLM this will not guarantee me a place in the race so I could find myself running these 2 races every year for the foreseeable future until I get a place……. Some of us run for fitness others run to race.  Whether it is just getting out the door for that evening jog around the block or whether there are PB’s in distance races that you want to achieve, they are all challenges.  As runners we are all constantly challenging ourselves.  A prime example of this is Kelly Brodie McGall.  I am sure she won’t mind me saying that she has challenged herself year on year and is almost unrecognisable due to her effort and commitment.  Claire Amos and Max Marshall will completing their 100th Marathons very soon.  That is a huge challenge and I am in awe of their achievements.  John Kirwan is going back to Lakeland 100 for the third year running and will be completing his 200th Marathon later this year.  John is my running inspiration and I am honoured to run alongside him at the events we do together, he really is a local running legend!! As with everything in life, keep setting yourself goals.  Write them down somewhere and make them achievable.  With a bit of effort and focus you will realise them no matter how big or small.       So again I ask myself, ‘am I challenging myself or am I sub-consciously searching for that DNF???’   You can make up your own mind.   

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Leighton 10

On Sunday morning the sun didn’t shine, The wind was blowing and the warmth was fine.   Team LFR hosted a race, To test the locals running pace.   10k was the distance – that’s…

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Musings of a Runner

I know people start running for all sorts of reasons – returning to an old sport, to meet new people, for your health or even for a challenge. I started 8 years ago to get fit – and because Dan (my husband – then boyfriend) ran. I stupidly thought it was something we could do together – it was silly in hindsight as Dan is much faster than me and in an actual fact we have rarely run together since. Not from a lack of willing on Dan’s part – I just find him too ..... bouncy. But what keeps people running? Obviously if you’re good at something it helps you to keep going. But what drives the rest of us out the door in all weather? When I look at my fellow LFR’s I can see some very clear motivations – challenges like running 1000 miles in a year or running 100 marathons, the great social side of running with friends and the drive to improve going further and faster. Personally my motivation to run has changed dramatically over the years. That very first run I did with Dan was a disaster and I had an Asthma attack after 15 mins. I tried again a few months later and thought how impossible it would be to run 5k in one go. But I continued – why? I didn’t particularly enjoy it and I very definitely wasn’t what I would call a natural runner. So why – it was cheap, I could do it any time and I could continue my chocolate habit. And that’s how it continued – running on a regular basis on my own, listening to music. A few races to motivate me – that way I had to train. The fear of skipping a session and not getting back out drove me on. I learnt to enjoy being outside and I was running further and faster – I hit a half marathon. Then Dan joined LFR and I started to see a different side to running. Lots of people enjoying running for running sakes. Not just because of PBs. So I joined and discovered the joy of trail raining and social runs – being part of a community. I tried different types of training and my speed and stamina improved. Recently I have come to the conclusion that although its good to get PBs that is not why I am going to run anymore. Being outside, socialising with friends, the joy of running through beautiful countryside. This week I went over for a quick 2 miles just because the sun was shining – and it was glorious. I’m even going to go for a trail run with Dan Easter weekend. Of course I would be lying if I said I didn’t do it for health reasons – and the PBs still seem to be coming. I put that down to my willingness to run more as I now actually enjoy it – I couldn’t go a week without running. Different reasons drive us to running and LFR, but we all stay because we enjoy running and everything that comes with that. I am sure my motivations will continue to shift. But I also know that I will always run. Happy Running. Vicky

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